Nashville, TN — Nestled inside a renovated East Nashville church once damaged by the 2020 tornado, Bad Idea is quietly making waves on the city’s culinary map. Led by chef Colby Rasavong, the restaurant offers a thoughtful fusion of Laotian heritage and Southern American cuisine. But it’s one unexpected dish in particular that’s turning heads: Velveeta ice cream.
Yes, Velveeta—the iconic processed cheese product more often associated with casseroles than desserts—takes center stage in a cold, creamy treat that’s capturing imaginations and tastebuds alike.
Chef Rasavong, a veteran of Southern culinary institutions such as Husk under Sean Brock, draws inspiration from Southeast Asian traditions, where savory desserts, including cheese-based ice creams, are popular. Though he didn’t grow up eating Velveeta himself, he saw its potential as a bold twist on those familiar flavors.
“It is very common to eat savory ice creams in Southeast Asia. One of the most popular is cheese ice cream made from processed cheese—and there’s nothing more processed than Velveeta here in the States,” Rasavong explained.
The creation is deceptively simple. Velveeta is blended with milk, white chocolate, and yogurt, the latter adding a touch of acidity and sweetness to balance the cheese’s richness. Thanks to Velveeta’s stabilizers, the result is remarkably smooth and uniform—an unexpected win for ice cream texture, if not for traditionalist purists.
Rasavong finishes the dish with a layer of yuzu granita, lending brightness and tang to temper the savory base. Presented in a small bowl adorned with a Japanese maneki-neko, the dish is as visually surprising as it is flavorful. From the first spoonful, diners are hit with creamy, slightly salty, unmistakably cheesy notes that spark nostalgia—even for those who never grew up eating Velveeta.
“When I eat a dish and close my eyes, I should feel like I’m back at the dinner table at my mom’s house,” Rasavong said. “When I open my eyes, it should be the realization of a fresh perspective.”
Bad Idea’s bold experimentation reflects a broader trend in modern desserts, where sweet and savory blur in inventive ways. For those seeking the latest ice cream innovations—or even exploring yogurt franchise opportunities with a creative spin—Velveeta ice cream may just offer a glimpse of where dessert is headed.
As Rasavong bridges cultures and generations through food, he’s not just reviving a space devastated by nature—he’s rewriting what comfort food can look and taste like in America’s New South.
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